Senior Officers

Kent Trachte, Ph.D.

President

Trachte became Lycoming College’s 15th president on July 1, 2013. He has spent more than 30 years in higher education as a faculty member and senior administrator, most recently serving as dean of the college at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa. Read more

Jeff Bennett '94

Vice President for Finance and Administration

Bennett was named vice president for finance and administration in March 2014 after serving as the comptroller and treasurer since he came to Lycoming in August 2012. He oversees human resources, the campus store, mail services, print shop, food services and the operations of the physical plant. Prior to his career at Lycoming, he worked at ParenteBeard LLC, Williamsport, where he was a certified public accountant from 1994-2012. Bennett earned a bachelor’s degree in financial accounting from Lycoming in 1994.

Jackie Bilger

Director of Human Resources and Risk Management

Bilger has been the director of human resources and risk management at Lycoming since 2004. She manages recruitment and staffing, compensation and benefits and is the Title IX coordinator and chief risk officer. She also oversees mail and print services. Bilger has more than 25 years of experience in HR generalist roles within higher education, health care and the manufacturing and service industries. She has been a Development Dimensions International-certified leadership training facilitator since 1998. Bilger earned a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Robert L. Dunkleberger

Chief Information Officer

Dunkleberger has been Lycoming’s chief information officer since 2015. He provides technical, financial and planning leadership for all aspects of information and technology resources. He oversees instructional and enterprise information technology for classrooms and offices along with Internet, mobile, network, telecommunications, web development, multimedia and cable TV services. Dunkleberger earned a bachelor’s degree from Susquehanna University and a master’s degree from Bloomsburg University.

Chip Edmonds '98

Vice President for College Advancement

Edmonds returned to Lycoming in August 2009 as vice president for college advancement. He previously served in major gifts at Yale University and Yale Medical School, where he oversaw the fundraising activities for the departments of pediatrics and OB/GYN. Prior to Yale, Edmonds served as a major gifts officer at Lycoming, director of annual giving at the Duke University Divinity School and development associate with the Duke Youth Academy. From 1998-02, he worked at Lycoming as the assistant director of admissions and development associate. Edmonds earned a master’s degree from the Duke University Divinity School and a bachelor’s degree in history and music from Lycoming. Chip, his wife Erin, and their two sons live in Williamsport.

Michael Konopski

Vice President for Enrollment Management

Konopski arrived at Lycoming as vice president for enrollment management in July 2014. He was previously the interim vice president for enrollment management at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W.V. Prior to Shepherd, Konopski served as dean of enrollment management at Niagara University in Buffalo, N.Y., where he led a team that produced multiple years of record freshman classes while also improving retention. He also increased undergraduate and graduate enrollment to the highest levels in school history, and planned and executed strategies that increased the number of students from out-of-state and diverse populations. Konopski earned a master’s degree in student personnel administration at State University of New York at Buffalo and a bachelor’s degree in communications from State University of New York at Geneseo.

Daniel Miller, Ed.D.

Vice President for Student Life

Miller joined the Lycoming administration in 2005. He previously was the vice president for student services and planning at Ferrum College in Virginia. He began his career as director of admissions for Mississippi University for Women and served as director of enrollment management and vice president for college relations at Alvernia College in Reading, Pa. Miller earned an Ed.D. in higher education leadership from Widener University, a master’s in higher education administration from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s in business management from St. John Fisher College.

Susan M. Ross, Ph.D.

Associate Provost for Experiential Learning, Professor of Sociology

Ross was promoted to associate provost for experiential learning and director of the Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences in March 2016. Ross arrived at Lycoming in 1998 as an assistant professor of sociology and was subsequently promoted to associate professor in 2006 and full professor in 2011. She is the recipient of two teaching awards from Lycoming College—including having been the first recipient of the Howard C. Berthold Faculty Research & Information Competencies Award—and a teaching award from the University of New Hampshire. Along with Lycoming alumnus Dr. Michael Musheno (’69), Ross wrote Deployed: How Reservists Bear the Burden of Iraq, and she is the editor of American Families Past and Present. In addition to directing the Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences, Ross also focuses on the first-year seminar program and the distinctive residential system. Ross earned a Ph.D. and master’s degree in sociology from the University of New Hampshire and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Millersville University.

Philip Sprunger, Ph.D.

Provost and Dean of the College, Associate Professor of Economics

Sprunger was promoted to provost and dean of the College in November 2011. Sprunger arrived at Lycoming in 1993 as assistant professor of economics and was promoted to associate professor in 2004. He was presented with the college’s Constance Cupp Plankenhorn Alumni Award for Faculty Excellence in 2004. In addition to teaching both microeconomics and macroeconomics, he teaches International Trade and Game Theory and various micro-based public economics courses. Sprunger earned a Ph.D. and master’s degree in economics from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree from Bethel College in Kansas.

The following individuals, plus the Senior Officers, comprise the Senior Staff:

Dawn Hendricks

Controller

Hendricks was named Controller in April 2014, after serving as the Assistant Controller since 2010. She oversees the Business Office, including accounts payable/purchasing, student accounts, payroll, general ledger, and other financial aspects of the College. Prior to joining Lycoming, Hendricks served as the Controller/Chief Financial Officer in manufacturing, communications, and health care. She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Lycoming in 1987 and became a Certified Public Accountant for the State of Pennsylvania in 1989.

Jessica A. Quintana Hess, MSED

Director of Admissions

As a Higher Education professional specializing in both Undergraduate Admissions and Student Affairs, Jessica currently serves as the Director of Admissions, and served formally as Associate Director & Coordinator of Partnerships at Lycoming College since 2013. Hess’ career thus far in higher education has focused not only on college access but also, in supporting undergraduates throughout their collegiate experience. With previous positions held at American University, Johns Hopkins University and Bucknell University, she has acquired great insight into different academic environments and has worked with high school students, families and professional colleagues from many parts of the US and abroad. She earned both a bachelor of arts degree in history and a master of science in education degree from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Kate Hummel

Associate Dean of Students

Hummel was named associate dean of students in the fall of 2016 and was the director of residential life since she joined the college in 2012 . Prior to joining Lycoming, Hummel served as the coordinator of residential services at Garrett College, where she created a residential life program and was responsible for the student code of conduct. Hummel is responsible for the oversight of the college’s student code of conduct, serves as the deputy Title IX coordinator and supervises the departments of residential life and safety & security. Hummel earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Lynchburg College in Virginia.

Eileen Peluso, Ph.D.

Associate Provost, Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences

Peluso was promoted Associate Provost of the college in 2013 and has served as a professor of mathematical sciences since she joined the college in 1998. Peluso's position is combination of teaching computer science courses and working with administration. On the administrative side, her primary focus is on assessment and accreditation but has many other duties, often involving processes, procedures, and data on the academic side. Peluso earned a Ph.D. and master's degree in computer science from Penn State University and a bachelor's degree in secondary education and mathematics from Bloomsburg University.